Into the Quarry
by Demelza
Summary: After Goliath and Brooklyn are attacked by a powder that makes them sleep and not wake up, Elisa's hurt and anger drives her to turn to a stranger for comfort... (ALL CHAPTERS POSTED!! -- RE-WRITTEN!!!!)
1. Chapter's 1 to 4

**Title:** Into the Quarry  (1/3)  
**Author:** Quantara  
**Email:** quantara@nzoomail.com  
**Rating:** R, for violence, strong usage of offensive language, sexual references, and attempted rape.  
**Distribution:** Sure, just let me know. ;)  
**Disclaimers:** All Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Characters here within this story are Copyright to The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Television. Paul Exley is the property of Shortland Street and their owners, Maurice Boscorelli and Faith Yokas are the property of Third Watch and its owners. No infringement of these Copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. All new characters are my creation.  
**Author's Notes: **This is the first part of the trilogy of fics for 'Into the Quarry'. The majority of this story has been re-written and has been beta'd several times over the last three months.  
**Theme Songs:** 'Children', by Robert Miles, 'If That Were Me' and 'Northern Star' by Melanie C (Sporty Spice). Also, some other lyrics are used within the story, they belong to their respective owners (Closer - Melanie C, Glorafilia - Zed).  
**Dedication:** Thanks to my Mum, and also to my friends Skye and Angie for all their help with this fic.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Edit Notes:  
  
**I wrote this fan fiction last year some time, and it surprisingly grew to become one of my biggest writing pieces for Gargoyles (and is continuing to be).

A few notes I thought I'd mention from the backlash when this story was last posted.

**#01:**  The focus of this story is on Gideon, Elisa, and other *human characters* in the series.  
**#02:**  This is fan fiction.  i.e, FICTION written by a FAN.  
**#03:**  This story is not endorsed by Disney or anyone else...it's purely a work of fan fiction.  (see note #02)  
**#04:**  I believe in criticism of fics, so if you don't like what you see, write me an email and tell me...I'm sick of the idiots that send viruses thinking their point is put across.   
**#05:**  The true answer to: WHAT IS THIS STORY ABOUT?  Is, Into the Quarry is a story about loss, betrayal, love and the destruction of trust among friends. It is not about Goliath finding out Elisa found love in another man, please do not presume anything otherwise.

I have changed a lot of parts in this story, added in new scenes, and totally re-written others.  Some of the plot and story line has changed, also.

Notes, venting and rambling over now ;)

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter One  
****'The Initialization'  
  
**

**March of 2003**

The last seven years had seen a large battle ensue between good and evil. The Quarrymen had only just become a 50,000 strong organization for eighteen months before Gideon Winley joined, instantly becoming a key member of the Quarrymen.

Gideon had only just returned from five years policing up in Wisconsin when his best friend since childhood rung him up. Andrew Dougall told Gideon that there were new troubles in the Manhattan area of New York, and that a group he was with called the Quarrymen were fighting against a Gargoyle clan that were trying to take over the city. Gideon didn't care much for it himself, or the gargoyles. After all...gargoyles? They were stone carvings. They weren't living breathing creatures. At least, that's what he believed until he saw video footage recorded by a number of members who were fortunate enough to get that close to record the gargoyles in the first place. 

The gargoyles he saw in the tapes weren't stone; they were flesh and blood, living breathing _creatures of the night_. Beings the Quarrymen were trying to eradicate.  After viewing the footage and believing completely what he had seen, Gideon was invited to participate in his first ever Quarrymen rally, in commencement of his initialization into the Quarrymen organization.

He learned that each meeting of the Quarrymen were held in an old hall not  
far from Central Park. It lay a few blocks from a recently out of work subway  
station that the Quarrymen's leader, John Castaway, had brought for what would later be revealed as storage facilities, as well as an underground home for many of the Quarrymen members.

Arriving at the old Hall with his friend, Gideon and Andrew made their way straight to Castaway's office, where the leader was direct and to the point. 

"Ah, Mr Winley." Castaway greeted him. "Glad to finally meet you." He greeted the thirty-year-old, blue eyed, dark-haired, Wisconsin native.  He extended his hand to him.

Gideon took his hand and shook it, "Mr Castaway."

"Please, call me John." The blonde man replied, he brushed his finger over his thin mustache, "Listen, Mr Winley..."

"Gideon."

"_Gideon_, imagine for just a moment the benefits of living in a world without these gargoyles. Imagine how safe the citizens of New York would feel once they're eradicated."

"Eradicated?" Gideon mused. "You make them out to be bugs."

"They are. An infestation. One this city can no longer afford to allow to nest and hollow out for their own evil doings. You're a law enforcement officer...you made a vow the day you graduated to protect and to serve...don't you think getting rid of these beasts will be necessary to protect the citizens of this city, to serve them with all honor?"

Gideon casually placed his hand on the gun holstered at his hip, attached to the belt that held up his black slacks.  "Give me a reason why I'd want to help."

Castaway stared at him intently, "I heard you would be hard to convince that our cause is a worthy one."

"Oh I think it's worthy, but persuasion is the key," he smirked.

"How would an initial payment of eighty-thousand to get things started sound?  And an annual payment of thirty-five thousand sound to make you see that these beasts need to be removed from their perches and sent back to hell where they came from?"

"Make it fifty-thousand a year, and my father's quarry company will sponsor your cause."

Castaway smiled, he thought about the offer for a moment, "Very well, fifty-thousand a year and a sponsorship it is. Welcome aboard Mr Winley."  He picked up a three-page form from his desk and handed it to Gideon, "If you'd like to fill out this form, then we'll inform you of your first assignment."

Gideon took the form and looked up at Castaway again, "I hope this has Health and Life insurance's."

"Oh, it does," he smirked, and both men exchanged a grin.

***  *  ***

**An hour later**

John Castaway stood in front of the one hundred and seventy quarrymen, Riley Watson, his right hand associate, had rallied together to carry out the biggest assignment in the history of the Quarrymen to date. The attack was going to be aimed at the head of the gargoyles, the leader, a large lavender gargoyle called Goliath, and his second in command, a brown, beaked gargoyle that went by the name of Brooklyn. The attack was to be silent but deadly, kept hidden from everyone who was not directly involved. In fact, no one, including their targets, would realize until days later the true strength and fullest intentions of the attack.

Castaway stood at the podium before his followers, "My friends..." He begun, his voice deep and loud.  "In three nights time, we shall commence with the first and most triumphant attack we shall ever embark on! Those vile beasts shall be hit, and hit hard!! A swarm of men shall hit the Gathering in Central Park east, attended by three of the beasts. While the rest of us shall set up ambushes to keep the rest of them away from their leaders!"

Cheers echoed through the old city hall, many shouted out 'Down with the Gargoyles' while others called for their eradication and defeat.

"Friends...friends..." Castaway begun, he put his hands up for silence, and within a matter of minutes the hall was deadly quiet. "Tonight, at the break of dawn Mr Winley..." He said, motioning to the hooded man on his left.  "The newest member to our group, shall begin the steps that will ultimately bring the gargoyles down! He will infiltrate, and cause vigorous betrayal like that the gargoyles and humans' that protect them have never before seen! He will lead the Quarrymen to our ultimate victory!"  He shouted.  

Everyone yelled and screamed out 'To Our Ultimate Victory! To Mr Winley!"

Castaway stepped back from the podium, for a moment he stood, smiling triumphantly in the power he had, but soon his smile faded and he turned to Mr Winley, "You better not fail us."

Gideon bowed his head, "We will succeed Mr Castaway. _We will succeed._"  He turned to the gathering, "For all quarrymen everywhere!"  He shouted. 

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Two****  
'The First Wave Commences'  
  
**

**Three nights later**

Gideon and Andrew had gathered a group of six men with them; they were the one's chose to initialize the attack on the Gargoyle leader. Castaway himself, though, would be leading the small group. He wanted to face off with the beast that made him shoot his own brother on the Hunter's Moon those years ago.

It was an hour after sunset, the Gathering in Central Park east had begun a half-hour earlier, with the seven hundred New Yorker's gathered there to meet the Gargoyles' they had themselves sworn to protect and accept as part of their world. An abstract from within the eyes of all Quarrymen. Even the idea of accepting them was distorted in Gideon's mind; he couldn't now, and would never accept the gargoyles.  

The unholy creatures that they were.

There wasn't that long to go before two hundred men would initiate the attack on the Gathering, he smiled to himself. Law enforcement officers had been called in to protect those attending, many of which were members themselves of the Quarrymen organization.

Gideon had heard Detective Maza's voice over the radio, she was talking to her partner, Matt Bluestone. The next wave after the initial attacks tonight were to be against both detectives, sending a ripple through the friendship they had, and Gideon would take his place as her partner. But that was yet to come. Tonight, he had to focus on the objective, taking the leader down along with his newfound friends.

The raging storm that had bestowed itself on the City for the last three and a half days had calmed by mid afternoon, the Gathering was going full ahead, and so were their plans. He looked up toward the sky, the clouds had dissipated and the moon shone through onto the city dwellers below. But though the storm had ended, there was soon to be a storm like battle in itself ensuing between the Quarrymen and the Manhattan gargoyles. 

Gideon returned his attention to their leader as he approached from across the road, "Good, you are all here," Castaway said, his face covered by his own hood, marked with red scratches where it would appear he had been scratched with claws, though the markings was merely an etching that had been passed down the generations by the Hunter's since his ancestor's first encounters with the gargoyle they called Demona.

Gideon, Andrew and the others followed Castaway without question as he led them to a parked van. Watson was there, the side door slid open, "Take a hammer each... except you Mr Dougall."

"Why not me?" Andrew replied, looking at the leader, rather than his right hand man.

"You're to go after the Detective Woman. What good would a hammer do for you?" Castaway asked him back, "Keep her away from the leader for as long as you can. She's always foiled our plans, but not this time."

"Very well." Andrew replied, he looked to his friend Gideon then back to their leader, "But where...?"

"Four blocks from here. We traced her call in to her partner. She'll move, but we'll keep you up to date with her location." Watson said, he handed Andrew an ear-piece and transmitter, "You know what this is for."

"Yeah, yeah." Andrew said, taking it from him and strapping the transmitter to his belt beside his holstered Smith & Wesson handgun, he then wired the ear-piece up through his shirt and poked it in his ear.  He took the gun out of its holster and removed the clip; it was full.  He then slammed it back into the gun.

"Everyone has their assignments." Castaway looked at his watch, "It's time."  He stated, motioning for everyone to go to their places and get ready for the ambush ahead.  
  


***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Three  
'It Begins'**

"No, please... leave me alone!" a young, read head woman screamed out as the two hooded men cornered her in the alley.  Up above, one of the gargoyles heard what was going on and came in for a landing.

_'The second is removed from duty,' _a voice crackled over Castaway and his groups' ear-pieces. It was a victory in itself, so that meant the one coming in to the ally where the 'burglary' was commencing was the leader.  "Everyone get ready," he called into his transmitter, his masked face looked up to the sky just in time to see the massive creature glide in overhead and down into the alley.  "Now!" he shouted into the transmitter again.

It was time.

Once all seven Quarrymen entered the ally, two from the surrounding buildings, and the other five from the entrance way, the would be burglars and woman involved took off past them. "You've got no where to hide now, gargoyle," Castaway laughed, his deep Scottish accent ripping through the air. He motioned for three of his group to find their way further into the alley through the muck and grime that covered the ground and walls alike.

Suddenly a roar rumbled around them, "Gargoyles do not hide...but you may want to take that suggestion."  Goliath, his dark figure and furiously lit eyes, stepped out from the shadows of the end wall of the alley.

Castaway laughed more, "You don't frighten me.  You're a bug to this city, and we're here to eradicate you and your kind!"

Goliath smiled, "Try, but you shall fail."

"Unlikely."  He replied, his voice darker, deeper.  He reached his spare hand into his pocket and threw some kind of dust at Goliath.  

The lavender gargoyle begun sneezing and coughing, "What did you throw at me?"  He roared.

"A little something to help you sleep better."  He looked over to his men, "Do it, now!" He ordered. In an instant the men un-holstered their guns and fired at Goliath, firing darts of some kind. The gargoyle roared in anger and pain, his wings outstretched as he was thrown backwards against the wall from the backlash. The quarrymen surrounded him like Hyena's would their prey.   Castaway pushed past his men, "See you when you wake up." He grinned, pulling out his own gun, also loaded with the darts, and he then fired, getting Goliath in the right shoulder with four of the darts.

*  *  *

A strange feeling went through every part of Goliath's body, his wings, his tail...like a cold shiver going up his spine...for a moment he froze and couldn't move.  His entire body like stone, yet he was still flesh, and could think and hear. Then, as it stopped Goliath looked up at those surrounding him, his body was weak, tired. He felt so drained of all energy. He needed to sleep.  "Noo...can't give in...won't rest..." But his eyes were heavy, disastrously heavy. Then, as he tried to focus on his attackers, he saw one face looking back at him. It wasn't that of John Castaway, but a face he had never seen before.  
  
The man stood only a few meters away, he had a cigarette in the corner of his mouth. As the man raised his fingers to remove the bad habit from his lips, his blue eyes flashed over at Goliath, "Interesting...so big, and yet, so weak." He taunted, dropping the cigarette to the ground and crunching it down with the front of his shoe. "At least we have claimed our rightful justice!"  
  
Goliath stretched his arm to the man, "You feel this is justice? _Your_ leader is the one who is weak, he fights against those who have done no wrong!" But the man ignored him, walking away, past the others there with him.  As Goliath tried to shout out, his thoughts and voice began to cease, the sounds enclosing him in the alley against the wall, fading out. 

Footsteps running across the concrete pavement echoed into nothing as the Quarrymen and their leader took off.

*  *  *

  
Elisa's ear transmitter had static in it for a moment before Matt's muffled voice could be heard, _"__Brooklyn__'s down, and unconscious. Lex and __Bronx__ are here with me, I'm about five minutes from your position partner. I'm on my way."_

She pressed her finger against the back of it, "No, stay there.  Call Xanatos. Get a chopper in.  But stay with them."

_"Copy that, partner."_

The ear-piece went silent and Elisa checked the street from the back of the alleyway she'd ducked into from one of the quarrymen's sight earlier.  All clear.  The gun was firmly in her hand, finger at the ready on the trigger.  Thoughts trapping her mind, if Brooklyn was down, what would have caused it?  If he was down after a chase from one of the quarrymen, what would Castaway do to Goliath?  _No_, she shook that feeling from her mind; Goliath could deal with him no problem.

Taking the deep breath she needed, Elisa headed out of the alleyway cautiously.  She was about three feet out when she felt something knock her in the ankle.  She fell flat on her face, her weapon sliding several feet out of her grip.  She looked up, a blue uniformed quarryman was there, his hood covering his head like the coward she knew he was.  Only his hazel eyes and the outline of his strong jaw were visible.  "You son of a bitch..." she growled.

"Tutt-tutt-tutt detective.  You have to play nice now," Andrew taunted.

"Get out of my sight before I make you wanna beg for mercy."

He crouched down a few inches in front of her as she lifted herself up from the wet footpath, "And how will you accomplish that, detective?"

"Like this," she said, taking a swing and socking him one in the jaw. She jumped to her feet, instantly sharp throbbing pains darted up into her knee, she could barely walk and had to hobble over to her pistol. But just as she reached down to pick it up the quarryman was there and had it in his grasp.  Elisa stood up straight, ignoring the intense pain riding up into her knee cap.

"See, now that wasn't very nice, was it?" He growled, his dark eyes furious.

"You asshole."

"At least I'm not deserting the idealism of the human race and fucking a gargoyle!"

Elisa went to take another swing at him when he grabbed her hand and twisted her arm behind her back in such a hold that she couldn't break free.  He put his other arm around her neck. 

"Even if I were, or weren't, I'd rather fuck a gargoyle if humans like you were my only other option!"  Elisa replied. "Now let me go!"

"Or what?  Your 'boyfriend' will come and beat the shit out of me?"  He laughed.  "Vous devez tourner rapidement de vos chemins avant que vous ruinez tout ce qui l'humanité représente! And in case you didn't get that, you must turn quickly from your ways before you ruin _all_ _that which humanity represents_!"

Elisa brought her elbow back and jabbed him in the ribcage, breaking free from his grip.  She turned around; the coward had disappeared somewhere, _somehow. _Suddenly fear sat in.  _Goliath_...she quickly remembered how he'd called her to tell her he was going in to rescue a woman who was being robbed by a group of thugs. That was a few blocks up, and she headed along the footpath as fast as she could.

*  *  *

Andrew had followed her carefully to not be seen again, there, at the end of the alley was the gargoyle, lying on his side. 

*  *  *

Elisa increased her pace as best she could and crouched down beside the lavender gargoyle.  "Goliath..." she shook him gently, but nothing. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady.  "Damn it!"  She placed her finger against the ear-piece again, "Matt...Matt...it's Elisa...get that damn chopper here now! Goliath's down!!" She ordered, removing the darts from him. "Come on Goliath...please, please wake up," she asked him, her voice tearful.

*  *  *

Andrew watched for another minute or so, then at the sound of the helicopter approaching, he took off. The mission was completed. And, from what he saw back in the alley, a complete success.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Four  
****'The Second Wave'**

**April 8**

Gideon had been following Detective Maza since the initial attacks, his job now was to infiltrate and discover as much as he could about her and the clan she was protecting. He'd followed her to a tall building, thirty-three levels high, it sat amongst the surrounding fifty-something level buildings.  The sign on the outside of the building read, 'Doctor Anton Sevarius, Genetic Scientist.'  Why she and her partner were investigating him of involvement in the attacks was strange. Did they think only he was a Genetic Scientist in this day and age? There were many out there that could do what he did...and better. Andrew Dougall was one himself.

Smiling at the way Castaway had set up tracking devices and bugs on the officers, he kept quiet as voices came over the speaker just in front of him, he looked over at the building, and could see the two detectives standing before another man. What was left of his hair was a thick white, his skin pasty, and yet his smile was smooth and warm. _"Welcome to Doctor Sevarius' Laboratories... how can I be of assistance?" He asked, his voice hoarse._

_"We'd like to see Doctor Sevarius." Matt was quick to tell him._

_The old guy smiled further, "Certainly. Which Doctor Sevarius would that be?"_

_"Anton." Elisa told him._

_"Senior, or Junior?"_

_"Junior."__ They both replied._

_"One moment."__  The old guy replied.  He smiled at them once again before turning around and walking to the desk a few feet away.  After a couple of minutes he came back to them, "I'm sorry, Doctor Sevarius is unable to take visitors for quite some time, he's working on a project that requires his absolute attention."_

_On instinct Elisa pulled her badge out, "This is a matter of police urgency."_

"My kind of woman." Gideon remarked, returning his attention to what was going on.

_"I'm sorry, but Doctor Sevarius requested he not be disturbed."_

_"I can get a warrant if you like.  Instead of my partner and I being here, you'll have over thirty cops turning this place inside out until we are able to 'talk' with Doctor Sevarius."_

_The old guy let out a sigh of exasperation, "Very well.  You will need to sit over in the lounge while you wait," he told them, pointing over to the small waiting area behind them to their left._

_"Thank-you," Elisa told him._

The next half hour Gideon spent listening to Elisa and Matt's conversation about the clan, and how they were all doing after the attack. Specifically the leader and his second-in-command. He learned that the older gargoyle, Hudson, was taking lead again, with another named Broadway working as his second. The statement, 'only until they wake up', being a regular proclamation. He didn't learn much of Elisa herself from within the conversation, other than the clear fact her concerns for the Leader, her '_boyfriend_', were higher than that she held for the younger gargoyle. 

The two attacks had been gloriously successful, making John Castaway and his followers proud.

Gideon shifted a little on his seat and cleared his throat, he hoped he wouldn't have to wait too much longer, all this pissing around was too much of a time wasting exercise he would rather die than have to sit through.

_Just then, things started to get interesting with the appearance of the famed Doctor Anton Sevarius.  "Why if it isn't Detective Maza...how's your brother?" He goaded._

_"We're not here to talk about my brother," Elisa snarled. "We're here to question you in regard to a Virus that two of the gargoyles have."_

_"Now I presume one of the 'victims' was the Great Goliath!" He laughed with a wide grin stretching his rubbery face. "Sorry, wasn't me," he stated after a minute._

_"Bullshit! I know it was you that did it to him, who else knows enough about the gargoyles and their DNA to create a virus that'll affect them in the way that it has?!"_

_"And what way exactly is that?" Sevarius inquired._

_Elisa ignored him, "What did you do to them Sevarius? Tell me what you did."_

_"I didn't do anything to your friends, Detective. Why would I? I harbor no grudges."_

_"You worked with Demona to create a virus that would destroy mankind...and now you've created a virus to destroy the clan," Elisa replied, she kept her voice calm and cool this time, "I know it was you."_

_Sevarius__ grinned wider, "Well, the truth is, all I do here is create and develop Pharmaceutical Drugs. Sure, we do a little research...but that's in the interests of saving lives, not destroying them."_

_Elisa stood up, Matt, still quiet, stood up beside her. "Sevarius," she begun.  He looked up at her, "I'll get a search warrant and when I find what I'm looking for, you _will _be held accountable."_

_"You'll never get a search warrant." Sevarius smirked._

Gideon sat backward against his seat, after a few short minutes the two detectives came out of the building, "Well, that was interesting." He observed, keeping his ears open for anything else that might be said.

_"I know it was him," Elisa told her partner._

_"We need evidence first to prove that it was. We shouldn't have even been in there questioning him."_

_"Yeah, a note on that...why was I the only one doing the talking?"_

_Matt kept silent as they walked over to the car a few feet away from them. Once they'd climbed inside, Elisa started the engine and pulled the car out of the parking space. _

_"Because I didn't want to get involved in it," Matt finally said after a minute._

_"What!?"__ Elisa exclaimed, stopping the car suddenly, they were now two cars away from Gideon's position. "You're a part of the clan, Matt, how can you not be involved!?"_

_"I don't know...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that. Just forget about it."_

_"Damn right I will," Elisa shook her head, slamming her foot back onto the accelerator. The car took off, leaving burnout's behind her as they went. _

Gideon followed behind them.  The officers' drove along for twenty minutes or so without a word between them when a call came in over the radio, there was a break in. It was Bluestone's apartment, he smile.  They detectives reached the apartment in record time, Gideon sat in his car as he watched on an LCD screen the two detectives entering the bugged apartment.

_"Geez Bluestone, this place is a mess," Elisa said, clearly stating the obvious. Books, papers, and cushion inners were strewn from one end of the living room to the other. The hallway wasn't any better, nor was the master and spare bedroom._

_"Yeah, well this time I'm _not _cleaning it up." Matt told her, not meeting her gaze as he took in a quick overview of his apartment. His TV, DVD and Movie Collection were all missing, along with his Stereo and kitchen Blender.  "An absolute mess."_

_"Hmmm," Elisa murmured as she found her way over to the sofa, it was shredded and the inner looked half yanked out by the intruders. She crouched down noticing a Logo she recognized on a white slip of paper beneath the corner of the couch. Picking it up she stood back up and took a look at it. She turned the piece of paper over, it was a receipt. "I can't believe..." she covered her mouth, looking up at Matt._

_"What? What is it?" He asked, rushing over to her._

_"A receipt," Elisa soon said, finally getting the words unstuck from her throat. Her voice was husky, as she still choked on the words.  She shook her head, "How could you have...lied...?"_

_"Elisa?" Matt took the paper from her hand, after examining it several times, he looked down at her, "This isn't mine."_

_"Really?__ Your name and address is plastered all over it...you made a twenty-five thousand dollar donation to their organization, Matt."_

_"No, I never did! I don't have that kind of cash for starters, and my duties are to the clan, I would _never _betray them. Not ever!"_

_"First Goliath cast asleep by _something _we can't figure out...something that won't let him wake. And now...to find that..." She stepped closer to him, he took a step back in retreat.  Beneath her foot some papers crumpled from her weight and she bent down and picked them up. _

_"Oh my gosh," she looked at them for a few moments, reading the first few lines, then looked back up at Matt. "You bastard!" she shouted._

_Matt shook his head, grabbing the papers, "No!__ These aren't mine!!" He shouted after looking at them himself._

_"You were in on it!" she cried out, "I trusted you! We all did. Goliath, and __Brooklyn__...they trusted you the most. With their lives!!"_

_Matt grabbed her shoulders, stopping her. "In on what?" He demanded._

_"The attacks, you bastard," Elisa replied gravely. "You're one of _them_." She shook her head, unable to truly believe what had happened. "You sold out the clan...but for what?"_

_"You have to listen to me Elisa, they're not my papers. Okay? I'm not part of that group, organization...whatever the hell they call themselves! They're the bad guys...we're the good guys! You've been working with me for the last few years, do you honestly believe I'd sell out the clan!?" Matt argued. He shook his head, "My job, like yours, is to protect the gargoyles, like they do us." He took his hands off her shoulders. "I'd _never _betray them. You know that."_

_"Then how do you explain them being here?"_

_"I can't...whoever broke in here must have planted them. Because I swear to you, Elisa, they're not mine!" Matt said, looking down at her._

_Elisa closed her eyes tight, and pulled away, tears streaming down her cheeks as fast as they poured out her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, Matt drew her into a hug. "I just want him to wake up, Matt," she sniffed, her head against his chest. "I sit there...for hours at a time. Just waiting. Praying. I don't want to ever lose him."_

_"I know partner, I know." He replied, "We'll get the sons of bitches who did this to him, to them both...I promise you. We'll make them pay."_

_Elisa cried harder, "Just promise you'll bring him back to me."_

_Matt drew back, Elisa still in his arms, he looked down at her. He stretched his hand out and wiped a tear from her cheek, "I promise." He said, his voice a near whisper._


	2. Chapter's 5 to 8

**Title:** Into the Quarry  (2/3)  
**Author:** Quantara  
**Email:** quantara@nzoomail.com  
**Rating:** R, for violence, strong usage of offensive language, sexual references, and attempted rape.  
**Distribution:** Sure, just let me know. ;)  
**Disclaimers:** All Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Characters here within this story are Copyright to The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Television. Paul Exley is the property of Shortland Street and their owners, Maurice Boscorelli and Faith Yokas are the property of Third Watch and its owners. No infringement of these Copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. All new characters are my creation.  
**Author's Notes: **This is the first part of the trilogy of fics for 'Into the Quarry'. The majority of this story has been re-written and has been beta'd several times over the last three months.  
**Theme Songs:** 'Children', by Robert Miles, 'If That Were Me' and 'Northern Star' by Melanie C (Sporty Spice). Also, some other lyrics are used within the story, they belong to their respective owners (Closer - Melanie C, Glorafilia - Zed).  
**Dedication:** Thanks to my Mum, and also to my friends Skye and Angie for all their help with this fic.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Five  
****'When Everything's Gone Wrong, Improvise'**

**Next Morning, an hour after ****Sunrise**

The day had only now begun to develop, the clouds present hours ago had cleared and the sun now shone down on the earth below. Gideon had been keeping watch of both Detective's for the past three days since the initial attacks. His assignment was almost ready to commence at full speed. But first he had to get Bluestone out of the way, the planting of evidence to show his involvement in the Attacks on the Gargoyles, and his 'membership' with the Quarrymen had failed. The wedge to drive he and Maza apart had cracked and splintered, leaving sour patches, but nothing that would damage their relationship enough for Bluestone nor Maza to be transferred from their partnership. Their trust in each other was great, and Plan B was now in affect.

Plan B was simple, do anything it would take to remove Bluestone from the picture and allow an operative to take his place as Detective Maza's new partner. But whatever it was to occur would have to look like an accident. 

It started shortly after Bluestone had headed out of town, he was driving in his Silver Falcon, listening to Zed's 'Glorafilia', following several meters behind him were two undercover Police Officers, members of the Quarrymen Organization. They would disable the brakes of his Sedan by a special remote control device at just the right moment.

_She keeps me waiting in the morning,  
__Tying ribbons in her hair,  
__And come the evening, there's no warning,  
__Why I'm not to know why she isn't there._

The Silver Sedan's stereo thumped out the beats of the music as it went up to one-hundred around a sharp corner, the wheels screamed as the front end cane close to hitting the edge.

_No time to tell her all the reasons,  
__Why I always disappear,  
__And in those desperate situations,  
__I just fade away to waste, til she never cares.  
__But Glorafilia says, she says,   
__It's just another Sunday afternoon,  
__Oh-oh, Glorafilia says,   
__She says there ain't no point in loving you,  
__No-oh._

Dressed in slacks and a white tee, Matt brushed his wind blown hair back, another corner approached, his speed stayed the same as he entered it. Again the wheels screamed, longer this time, as he had another near miss of the railing preventing a drop into the ocean below.

_She keeps me wrapped around her finger,  
__So I don't know what to do,  
__And using my imagination,  
__She could set me free, I bet she's dying to._

The car screamed along the road. Thump-thump-thump-thump. His heartbeat pounding fast in his chest as he attempted to drive his adrenaline to its highest peak. He forced the fear from his gut out into nothing as he took in another corner, this time faster.

_And sipping wine around her table,  
__Her expenses plain to see,  
__Entertaining for a living,   
She's got everything she doesn't need._

The panels of the Sedan ground up against the railing. As the car pulled away, out into the middle of the road, foot to the pedal, Matt forced the accelerator down farther. The speedometer showed the red line going up past 110, 120, 130 miles per hour...faster and faster. A long straight lay ahead, time to go for it.

_But Glorafilia says,   
__She says it's just another sunday afternoon,  
__Oh-oh, Glorafilia says,   
__She says there ain't no point in loving you,  
__No-oh._

Matt could feel the rush going through his body, his heart pounding fast. His hair blowing in the breeze like it never has before, the velocity he was traveling at increasing as he reached 150 miles per hour. All of a sudden it all seemed to stop, the music no longer pounded its rhythmic beats, his heart stopped in his chest. A car was overtaking on his side of the road...he shouted out 'Nooooo!' and slammed his foot on the brake. There was nothing he could do as he turned the steering wheel to miss it, but the Sedan slammed into the Station wagon with two screaming kids in the back seat. He covered his face to shield himself from shattered glass as it splintered down, only he was too late. He went flying forward. Only being stopped by the seat belt holding him in.

Screams could be heard from the children in the other car, crying came from their mother as she lay in the passenger seat. Matt was up against his car door, every part of him aching vigorously. He blinked a few times, and tried to breathe. But it all felt too hard. The music blaring, he stared ahead, not able to move. Someone was rushing to the other car, a passer by who had stopped in light of the horrid accident. "Oh no...no! He's dead!" They screamed out.

It was the driver of the other car.

Unable to keep his consciousness Matt closed his eyes and everything faded out.

*  *  *

That part of the Wave was completed, the Four Wheel Drive that had tailgated him screamed to a stop as it approached the scene. The driver climbed out of the truck and quietly approached Bluestone's car, after checking his pulse, he motioned to his buddy, letting him know that the cop was still alive.

Quickly checking to ascertain that no one was watching, the driver pulled a small plastic card out of his coat and slipped it into the top pocket of Bluestone's shirt.

"Wave Two is Complete." He said into the collar of his overcoat, walking back to the Four Wheel Drive.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Six  
****'Be Gone, Trust'**

**Angel of Mercy**

With the Second Wave complete, it was time to commence with the Third Wave. Matt Bluestone was seriously injured in his 'accident', the driver of the station wagon had died.  Two days later, so had his wife. Their two children were left as orphans. At the officer's apartment the documents that had been found by him and his partner were proven to be incriminating documents, including the Quarrymen Security Pass found in his top shirt pocket by the Ambulance Officers on the scene of the accident. A discharge from the precinct was inevitable, but since he lay in a poor state in the hospital bed recovering from internal injuries, as well as a damaged spinal cord, the hearings would wait.

*  *  *

"Is he going to be okay?" Captain Chavez asked the doctor in charge of Matt's case.

The doctor looked back at her with grim uncertainty, "We can't really be sure at this stage."

"He came in here four days ago..." Elisa growled, "And you're still not sure?" She wasn't bitter so much at the doctor, but more so at herself for trusting him. First the documents she'd found in his apartment, and then the Access Card found in his shirt pocket by the Paramedics. 

"I'm sorry, that's not a good enough answer." The captain told him.

"Mr Bluestone has suffered from serious internal injuries from the impact, he also damaged his spinal cord. At this stage, with the swelling and bruising, we are unable to tell when, or if, he'll be able to return to his normal duties any time soon."

Elisa, at hearing what the doctor said, walked away from the pair, shaking her head. She headed straight for Matt's room a couple of doors down the hall, on the right hand side. She opened the door, the loud beeps from the heart monitor greeting her with fear as she entered. Swallowing that fear, she made her way over to his bed, where an uncomfortable looking armchair waited at his side. She sat down in the chair, then slowly brought her eyes to meet his; they were open, and looking back at her.

Nothing was said for several minutes, just the exchange of looks.

"Elisa..." Matt finally begun.

She flinched, turning her head away from him, "Don't you dare."

"Please..." He begged.

Feeling her eyes flooding with tears, she turned back to him, "You have no idea how much I hate you right now."

"I think I do." He replied, "I don't want you to hate me, partner...I'm not a part of that organization."

"No? Then explain the card...what, you just went to a Print Shop and got a fake ID made to 'pretend' to be in with them?"

"I'm not..."

"You're a liar, and I trusted you." She replied through clenched teeth. With those words, she got up and took off out of the room; not able to stand being near him any longer.  She needed to get away from him, from it all.

*  *  *

**Outside Elisa's Apartment Building  
****A while later**

Elisa stood there, outside her apartment building, trying to debate whether she should go to the bar, Seth's, across the road or just go home. She didn't want to go home, sure, she knew she should have been home sleeping, getting ready for the shift ahead, but she wanted so much to track down that damned quarryman and John Castaway and kick both their asses real bad.

She was so angry.

Across the road, a bottle smashing against the ground caught her attention and she instantly looked over and spotted two guys having a bit of a tumble outside the bar.

Before she gave herself time to second guess her decision to go to the bar and drown every feeling she had inside she made her way across the road, deftly avoiding the traffic and a bunch of guys as they whistled and hollered out to her.  She went straight pass them and headed inside.  The interior designer had done wonders with the place; the deep coral blue paper half way up the wall that met the rich cream all way around the bar was amazing.

There were six, seven, maybe eight punters inside.  The barman greeted her with a smile, "What's your poison there, Elisa?" Paul Exley, an ex-Australian/New Zealand Medical Doctor turned Barman for the last two years, asked her.

Elisa looked around. "The strongest ale you have," she replied, carefully sitting on the bar stool and facing the barman.  "And double it."

"How about you start on something a little weaker? Huh?" He asked. "How's an ice beer?"

Elisa looked right at him, "Listen, I've just had the worst week of my life.  My boyfriend is...basically in a coma. And, get this, it turns out my partner set up the whole attack. I need something stronger tonight.  Please." The 'please' coming out sarcastically.

The man raised an eyebrow and agreed with her, "One of our strongest ales coming right up," he said.  

After a few moments Elisa had a shot of some-damn-drink-or-another sitting on the bar in front of her, she took a small sip first, it was just straight beer. Paul was kidding himself if he thought that was going to do it for her.  But, she slugged it back anyhow and slammed the glass down and asked for another.  "Put something stronger in it this time. You seemed to miss it last time round."

The bartender didn't question her request this time just poured her a shot of some fancy mixture and slid it out to her.  "We'll see if ya want anything stronger after this," he said.

"Count on it."  Elisa replied to the bartender, she raised the glass up to her mouth and drunk it down as she had the other.  It tasted different this time, it was a smoother drink, and tasted sweet too. She could feel her head getting a little off, she needed sleep really badly, that or the drink wasn't agreeing with her. But, she ignored that part of her conscience and ordered another.

The next few hours Elisa spent drinking down an assortment of beverages, Jack Daniels, Hokanui Hooch-an illegal, but smooth, alcoholic home brewed whiskey, much like the American Moonshine, that Paul had brought in expressly from New Zealand distributors on the side-next came shots of some Manhattan drink, then the strongest of them all, Everclear.

As the day moved on, she made her way around the bar, checking out the karaoke machine, even making her debut singing La Bouche's Sweet Dreams, and not sounding too bad at that.  The other patrons cheered her on as she sung and danced with the Karaoke Host, a young guy named Evan. The dart board was too difficult, an excellent aim with her gun she may have been, but the alcohol in her system didn't agree with her eye-hand co-ordination and she lost fifty bucks to some old guy that stunk of body odor and whiskey.

And next was pool...she may have been drunk, but her shots were still right on, surprisingly.  Her opponent, a guy Elisa had seen arriving not long after her, was an absolute waste. More so than her.

"Man you're good," he told her, he staggered a bit before standing up straight.  "Woah," he laughed; his blue eyes hiding behind his thin black framed glasses.

Elisa, three balls left to go before she'd win her eighth round of pool, lifted her newly acquired jug of beer and took a good swig. If only her father seen her right now, he'd reprimand her for her bad choice of antidote to her troubles. Wiping the thoughts from her mind, she crouched over the table, ready to take her aim when her opponent stepped up behind her and stared at her butt.  "Back off," she warned him.

Again Elisa went to take her shot when her opponent decided to run his hand along her back until he reached the back of her neck where he bent over and blew onto her bare skin, sending a chilling feeling through her body.

She immediately swung around, grabbed him by his T-shirt and shoved him against the pillar behind them.  "Are you wanting me to make you beg for mercy!?" she demanded.

"Um..." he begun, straightening his T-shirt. "Yeah," he nodded, laughing.

Elisa joined in laughing too, "Touch me again, I'll break your face," she told him, instantly ending her laughter and showing her more 'serious' side, well, as serious as she could get in her state.

"Touch you? Not with a barge pole," he laughed sarcastically.

"I don't usually say this...but fuck you!" she shouted, pushing him backwards.  But, he didn't fall alone, he grabbed her hands and brought her down with him.  

"I have a question," he told her, their faces close. "I don't want you to touch me..." He swallowed a burp that was coming up, "Um, I mean...you don't wanna have me touch you...right?"

"That's right." She replied, getting pissed off that he was still holding onto her, and expressly after she had told him not to touch her.

"Then...why the fuck me part?"

"Let me go," she warned, riding her knee up until it was pressing up against his groin.  "It'll hurt like hell and you know it," she reminded him, their faces only a few inches away from each other.

A silent few seconds passed and Elisa could hear the bartender asking the gathered onlookers to back away, "They do say it takes two to start a fight, now you two, let each other go."

The man stared deep into Elisa's eyes before he slowly let go of her and cleared his throat.  "Your knee," he said.  She slowly lowered her knee, accidentally brushing her leg gently against his groin causing him to let out a low moan.  "We should take this outside. Don't you agree?" he asked, his voice showing his weariness of her.

She stared right at him, still having a tight grip of his shirt within her fingers.  Elisa could feel the warmth of his body go up through her arms, it sent urges and desires into her mind she didn't want in there, but yet didn't try get rid of either. "Or my apartment," the man's eyebrows creased as he took in what she'd offered.  "Don't tell me you don't want to."  She looked at his lips then back to his eyes, "I know you've wanted to fuck me ever since you came in that door, didn't you?" she challenged.

He swallowed again, "I still do," he replied, his voice deep and challenging. He grabbed her and pulled her into a strong embrace, one she didn't fight. 

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Seven  
'New Partner'**

**The 23rd precinct, the following evening**

Elisa sat at her desk, rubbing her temples as she tried to rid her mind of the headache that plagued her.  She had a furious hang over, her eyes were still red from the lack of sleep that had encompassed her.  All she could remember was going to the bar and getting utterly wasted.  The rest of the night was a blur, with flashes of images and sounds, broken memories of a passionate night spent with a stranger she could only remember the face of.  She cursed herself, lowering her hand from her head, damning herself to punishment for the lustful act she had committed.  And for what?  To get out of her mind what had happened to Goliath?  To try drive out the feelings of anger she held toward Matt for all his lies about his involvement with the Quarrymen?

She took in a deep breath, and rose from her desk as she saw the captain motioning over for her.

Her head ached that bit more, but she headed for the captain's office, pressing all thoughts aside as she stepped into the small office and stood a few feet from the door, just standing there, staring at the captain.

"Detective Elisa Maza, meet your new partner, Second class, Detective Steve Elbers," the Captain said as soon as the woman stepped into the room. 

Elisa turned to him with achy eyes, "Hi," she said, her heart pounding fast in her chest.

"Hey," he said back, smiling.

It was the guy from the bar; she'd slept with her new partner! Pretending like she didn't really give a damn, which she didn't, she turned to the captain, "Couldn't I have worked alone?"

"No. This is just until Bluestone's back on his feet, and a thorough investigation is completed of his involvement with the Quarrymen," Captain Chavez explained.

"What?"

Steve looked from Elisa back to the Captain.

"Maza, I know...under these circumstances, what with the recent events regarding your friends and Bluestone is hard, but the pair of you need to work together."

"I'd really much rather work alone."

"I'm sorry, but that's just not possible."

"Fine.  Whatever then," Elisa replied, she turned around and walked out.  _This is all I god-damned well need.  _She headed straight for her desk, sitting down, and was followed by her new temporary partner, who was soon sitting at Matt's desk opposite her.

"Hey, I ah...just want to say, I'm sorry to hear about your partner, heard he got whacked up pretty bad," Steve said, his voice showed no concern of what actually happened to Matt.

Elisa looked at him for a moment, images of their love making flashed in her mind.  She blinked, looking away.  "Speed kills, he's lucky to be alive," she replied flatly.  "Listen, if you're gonna ride with me..."

"Oh, great, ground rules time." He replied.

She stared at him.  "No talking about conspiracy theories, government cover ups..."

He stopped her midway, "Like I give a shit about them anyway."

"I'm just saying." She snapped.

"Yeah, well I don't give a flying fuck," Steve replied.  He leaned forward, lowering his voice.  "I have to work with you too, got it?  So if you have a problem with the fact last night we both got completely trashed and ended up in the sack, deal with it!" His tone angry.

Elisa looked away, setting her jaw and rolling her eyes.  She looked at him again, shaking her head.  "Great, you're a real asshole, aren't you?"

"I'd rather be an asshole than a drunken slut."

"You self righteous bastard!" She shouted, standing up from her chair. "Oh, and so you know, I drive my car, me and only me!"

He stood up himself, "Good for you Maza, because we're taking my Impreza. And if you don't like that little detail, deal with it!."

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Eight  
'Self-Confession'**

Elisa and Steve rode in his ocean-blue Subara Impreza to the Coffee House where there had been a break-in earlier that morning. Arriving at the scene, Steve popped a pill of some kind and motioned for Maza to follow him.

The duo entered through the front doors, the owner sitting down with a young woman of an age around maybe her early to mid twenties.  

"Mr Harrison..." Elisa said, wanting to make Steve realize she was going to head this investigation, and he'd be _her_ sidekick. "You reported a break in?"

He stood up, "Yes, my daughter Shelley..." he said, turning to the young woman in the chair by his side. "...was just getting ready to open the shop when she noticed three men wearing balaclava's behind the counter, stealing the cash from the till. It would have been fine, but she'd turned on the lights, and they came after her, attacked her, and then took off."

Elisa nodded, turning to the woman, "Is that what happened?"  Tear filled eyes, the woman nodded, "Could you identify them?"

"I just told you they were wearing balaclava's." Mr Harrison snapped.

She ignored him and pressed the same question again, "Could you, or were you able to at all, identify any of the three men?"

"They were white." Shelley replied, turning to her father, her lower lip quivering.  She then turned back to Elisa, "One of the guys, he..." She couldn't go on.

Elisa's stomach knotted, and instantly fear sunk in.  "Shelley, would you like to go to the hospital? Get the doctor's to check you over, and then we can get your statement down there?"

Slowly, Shelley nodded. "Okay."

*  *  *

Down at the hospital, Elisa questioned Shelley without her father in the room and the woman told her how one of the men who had broken into her father's store had sexually assaulted her and warned her not to tell the police. She was able to give a description of the man's tattoo on his hands, but there was nothing else that she could remember.

After leaving the hospital, Elisa and Steve headed back to the precinct, a scowl etched across his face.  

She looked at him side on, "What's wrong with you now?" she demanded.

"It's really pissing you off how we slept together, and now you won't let me talk to the victim, or hear what she had to say."

"Damn it Elbers, she was just been raped, she didn't want you or her father in there while she told me what happened. Is that too much for a poor girl like her to ask?"

Steve refused to answer, in short, declining to admit he was out of line and wrong. 

*  *  *

The pair arrived at the precinct, the tension between them building with every moment they spent in the same room as each other. After sharing her notes with Steve of what Shelley had told her, an older officer named Arthur Coleman came over, "What have you got there Maza?" He asked, glancing at her notes.

"Break and entering, the woman who opened the shop for her father every day was assaulted and raped," she told him, her voice grave.

"Could she make a positive ID?"

Elisa shook her head, "No, but she was able to describe the tattoos on his hands." She pulled her notepad out, "The letters L, O, V, and E on his right hand, and H, U, R, T and S on his left."

"Love Hurts," Coleman said. "Damn, that little bastard."

"You know who he is?"

He nodded, "Marc Santonio. He's one of the lowest scumbags on the street; he has a sheet of priors longer than my arm. Santonio's one of the creepiest sons of bitches out there, he has five attempted homicide charges, and two for rape."

"Oh god," Elisa said, shaking her head again. 

Steve stepped up by Elisa, sending shivers of discomfort through her veins. "Know where we can find him?" he asked Coleman. The old guy motioned for them to follow, which they did without hesitation. 

Officer Coleman led them to interview room three, "What was he brought in for?"  Steve asked, still standing at the other side of Elisa.

"Sexual assault on an elderly woman two nights prior."

"Damn." Both detectives replied.

Coleman motioned to the door, "He's all yours detectives."

Elisa and Steve both entered the room together, Steve allowing Elisa through first, he closed the door behind them and they sat down at the desk. "Mr Santonio." He begun, looking at the Hispanic man's disinterested face. His brown eyes were set deep in his skull.  Steve recognized him from each of the Quarrymen meetings he'd attended in the recent days and cursed in his mind. 

"Detective's Elbers and Maza..." he said, motioning to Elisa at his side. "We've got a few questions for you in connection to a robbery this morning."

"Wasn't there," the man's surprisingly nice voice said. He looked in Elisa's direction tilted his head back and winked at her, showing a large smile. "But...if it means I get to spend a little extra time with your lady friend...maybe I was."

"Just answer our questions," Elisa told him.

Santonio then turned his attention to Steve, still smiling, "A robbery huh? Nup, don't know nothin' about it. Maybe you can tell me about it, _detective_?" 

_This piece of shit better not spill on my operation, _he thought.  "We ask the questions. You answer them."

"Hey man, just giving you the opportunity to fill me in on what I'm supposed to have done."

"Where were you at five fifty this morning?" Steve pressed on.

The guy looked right back at him, "Getting some ass," was his smug reply.

"And her name?"

He puffed out a breath, "I'm not giving you her name."

"Well, for us to confirm that your statement is true, we'll need her testimony," Elisa explained.

"Just some bitch I met at a store."

"Which store?" Steve was quick to ascertain.

"I don't know, some little coffee shop...the Coffee House."

Both detectives exchanged looks; they'd pretty much snagged him on that one, Steve silently thought. "When did you meet her?"

Santonio was starting to show his frustration, "I don't know, this morning. What the hell is it to you? You wanna every detail of how I banged her on her daddy's shop floor, too?"

Steve stared at him.  "About what time this morning did you meet her?"

"What?" He shook his head, "This is just fucking ridiculous!"

"No, you are you useless piece of shit!" The detective roared, slamming his fists down on the table in an angered fury.

Elisa placed her hand on Steve's arm, and he settled back in his seat, letting out a breath and staring back at her.  She gave him a slight nod, then turned back to Santonio.  "We have a statement from a young woman, Shelley Harrison, that you raped her at around four twenty-seven this morning."

"That's fucking shit!  She wanted it!  She's only telling you I _raped _her, because she doesn't want her precious _daddy _to know she had sex!"

Steve angrily shook his head and stood up, pushing his chair back.  He leant over the table, placing his hands down on the table to support himself.  "You raped her, didn't you!?  She didn't want it!  But you thinking your such a big fucking man, thought you'd give it to her anyway! Didn't you!?"

"You've got it all wrong!  She invited me over!"  Santonio replied, shouting back.

"That's bullshit and we both fucking know it!  Isn't it!?  You raped her, didn't you!?  You went to that store with your buddies, and you raped Shelley Harrison!"

Santonio, feeling very nervous, looked down at his hands, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. After a long minute of silence he looked up at the officers again, "I need to speak with my lawyer."

"Good choice," Steve told him, his voice lowered, but still filled with anger.  He looked at Elisa, and motioned for her to follow him.

Once they left the room he closed the door behind them. From the room adjourning the interview room, Captain Chavez walked out, where she had listened in on their interview. 

"Captain," he said, straightening his stance up.

"Good work detectives," She told them with a smile, saying nothing else, she then walked away.

Elisa turned to Steve, "You almost lost your cool in there," she commented.

He let out a sigh, rolling his eyes.  "What?  I knew what I was doing.  Besides, it's not like you were trying to help in there."

"Aw come on, even if I had of tried, you would have tried to stop me!"

Steve laughed, "You're just jealous because you wouldn't have gotten it out of him."

She took him aside, away from the main stream of officers walking by. "Gotten what?  A confession?  I didn't hear him confess in there, Elbers.  All I heard was you demanding him to admit to raping her, in the end all he did was ask for his damn lawyer."

He went to add something else when Captain Chavez appeared again, clearing her throat as if to get their attention. "What the hell is going on with you two?" She demanded, "I can hear you in the squad room." Her tone was firm, allowing them to know she was less than pleased.

"Sorry captain," Steve replied, "Just a disagreement," he explained. He waited for anything else to be said, but since neither Elisa nor the captain said a word, he walked away.

And as he did, Elisa let out a low groan, "I can't take much more captain, I really can't."

"Give him a day or two, I heard he's like this to all his new partners. He likes to test them, according to his superiors back in Wisconsin."

"Well, with our...history, I'd say it's worse."

"I know it's none of my business, but what exactly is your history?"

She looked into the squad room for a brief moment, before turning back to the captain. "Nothing really, last night...we met at a bar, got drunk, and ended up..."

"Sleeping together?" The captain finished, Elisa responded with a yes. "So that's all your history involves?"

Elisa nodded her head, "Just last night."

"Well, just hang in there."

"Yes captain." She promised.


	3. Chapter's 9 to 13

**Title:** Into the Quarry  (3/3)  
**Author:** Quantara  
**Email:** quantara@nzoomail.com  
**Rating:** R, for violence, strong usage of offensive language, sexual references, and attempted rape.  
**Distribution:** Sure, just let me know. ;)  
**Disclaimers:** All Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Characters here within this story are Copyright to The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Television. Paul Exley is the property of Shortland Street and their owners, Maurice Boscorelli and Faith Yokas are the property of Third Watch and its owners. No infringement of these Copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. All new characters are my creation.  
**Author's Notes: **This is the first part of the trilogy of fics for 'Into the Quarry'. The majority of this story has been re-written and has been beta'd several times over the last three months.  
**Theme Songs:** 'Children', by Robert Miles, 'If That Were Me' and 'Northern Star' by Melanie C (Sporty Spice). Also, some other lyrics are used within the story, they belong to their respective owners (Closer - Melanie C, Glorafilia - Zed).  
**Dedication:** Thanks to my Mum, and also to my friends Skye and Angie for all their help with this fic.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Nine  
'Try to Tell'**

After Elisa's discussion with the captain, she was allowed an hour break, meaning she'd have to work a little longer at the end of the shift, but that didn't matter as long as she was able to get some time away from her temporary partner. So with her free time, she decided to go up and see the clan. But, when she arrived, all members of the Manhattan Clan were out, except for Goliath and Brooklyn who lay in their stone sleep up in the infirmary. They both looked at peace, but Elisa wondered if they dreamed, or if they could hear when she spoke to them. Goliath especially so.

"Goliath..." she began, her voice soft. Her mind wanted her to tell him what she had done, how she had betrayed him, betrayed the clan. But her heart didn't want him to know. It was just one night, one night she regretted, and would never relive again. "I miss you," she finally told him as she sat there, she'd been sitting there for fifteen minutes or more now, and those were the only words she had spoken. "I think about you...all the time. And I...I keep wanting you to just, open your eyes...please..." She cried, her tears falling onto his stone skin.

But nothing.

Resting her head against his chest, she craved to hear the heartbeat she had heard many times in the nights they had shared in each others loving arms. Talking, laughing, just sharing tender minutes together. "I love you, big guy," she whispered quietly to him, closing her eyes as she rested there with him.

*  *  *

**Quarrymen Meeting Place**

Gideon had decided, that while Elisa was on her break, he would call into the Hall and meet up with the Quarrymen leader. He was greeted by his friend, Andrew, and together they made their way to Castaway's office. 

"We had a breakthrough," Andrew told him.

"Oh?" Gideon asked back.

"The devices injected into the gargoyles via the darts sent us data that proves the objective is underway, and should turn to be a great success."

"That's excellent news," he replied, "On them both?"

"Yes, although, the leader is more resistant to the virus. During the day, he seems to combat it more than the smaller gargoyle."

"I guess all good news has some bad news accompanying it."

"Not necessarily, well, in the Quarrymen's point of view, yes. But in mine, this science, it's all rather exciting. To see the weaker of the two be so unable to fight it. It makes me see that the gargoyles are just like we humans, that there are those that are strong enough to be able to fight and combat various viruses, and then there are those too weak to be able to," Andrew explained.

Gideon nodded, "So with this phase done, what next?"

"Now we just wait. The probes are sending back new information to us on a second by second basis, we're going to alter the feedback relays to every fifteen seconds for now, depending also on the progression of the virus through their bodies."

"Well, just make sure you keep me informed all the way, okay? I want to know how it goes."

"Will do," he replied, stopping as they reached Castaway's office, "You go first, I heard Castaway wants a word or two with you."

"Right." Gideon replied to his friend, he walked up to Castaway's office, knocked on the door, waited a moment, before being called in. He entered without hesitation, closing the door behind him as he headed over to Castaway's desk and sitting down in the chair opposite him. "I heard you wanted me."

"I do," Castaway said back, he leant forward, against his desk, "I just had a call from an informative at Chief Twohy's office at One Police Plaza, Captain Chavez reported to him how you've been giving one of her officers a hard time."

"And?"

"For our mission here to be a success, you need to be nicer to Maza. Your job isn't to make her life a living hell. Your _job _is to be the one she turns to. Or did you forget your orders!" His voice was angry, forceful.

"No sir. I just..." He stopped, not finishing his sentence.

"You just what?" He asked. No reply. "Get out of here, and don't screw up."

"Yes sir."

*  *  *

**A few hours later**

The day had gone by quickly, Steve acted a little less like a jerk toward Elisa, following his commands by John Castaway. Although, he didn't completely change his tune, the way he treated her was natural to him. He didn't know how to 'be nicer' as such, it was too far ingrained in his mind and attitudes for him to reach that way within a few hours, let alone a few days. But, he'd try. The success of the mission depended on him.

"Hey Maza," he called out to Elisa as she headed over to her car; the shift was over now. She'd be on her way up to see the Gargoyles again, he knew that. "Wait up."

She stopped, hesitantly, "What do you want now?" She asked, not meeting his face. 

Steve rushed over and stopped by her side. "Same thing you've been wanting all day," he replied, turning her around.

"Excuse me?"

"To talk." He quickly added, his hand on her arm.

Elisa looked at her arm where he had his hand, his grip wasn't tight, but she still didn't like the way he touched her.  "So talk," she told him, meeting his gaze.

He slowly let go of her arm, "I want to apologize for the way I was acting today. And how I treated you." He let out a sigh, "I guess, I let what happened last night interfere with my better judgment. I'm sorry."

She kept her eyes on him, "I'm sorry too." She then said.

Steve looked away for a moment before turning back to her, "So, things are okay between us? Last night, and the crap today, especially?"

"Yeah, I'd like it if it was." Elisa replied.

"Friends?" He asked, extending his hand. She smiled, and shook his hand. "I'll see ya tomorrow then."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

Steve smiled back, "Take care Maza."

"You too Elbers."

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Ten  
'Turning Point'**

The following month came without problems, Steve had attended each evening meeting. He learned that the second gargoyle had gone downhill a great deal as a result of the virus' good work. While the leader was starting to fight the virus, however little amount that was.

He arrived at work, having changed his attitude toward Elisa greatly, logged in, changed from his casual attire of a gray NYPD t-shirt and matching track pants, into his jeans and a comfortable shirt. He slid his gun into the holster at his hip and then slipped on his jacket. 

He walked out of the locker room and headed straight to the squad room, Captain Chavez was busy talking with a couple of other officers. Detective Morgan, who had been promoted to Detective two years back, as he'd found out, sat at his desk working on a report. There were other officers just starting to arrive, going straight to their desks. Some were laughing, some arguing.

He had just sat down at his desk when Elisa arrived, "Hey partner," he greeted her; she gave him a small smile back. "You okay?" he asked, concerned. _She looks like she hasn't slept in months._

"Yeah, just didn't sleep much last night."

"Thinking about your friend?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Listen, I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"Okay." He replied, turning to the report in front of him, only a few last paragraphs and he'd be finished, then they would be able to go back onto the street.  "Listen, you know Maza, whenever you want to talk, _if, _you do...know that I'm here, we're friends, remember? That's what friends do."

"I know," she said back, not meeting his eyes, filling out her own paperwork for the same case.  Two seventeen year old boys had attacked another boy aged thirteen, just to get his lunch money. The younger boy came from a family who was higher in the community, and gave him fifteen dollars every day to buy what he desired. The other boys were deeply jealous, as they came from poorer families, and attacked him for the money. It had gone on for three weeks, the younger boy never reported it, until the older boys followed him home and cut him with a knife just to get 'more money'. 

It was a relentless act, one Elisa felt could have been avoided had the boy come forward sooner. Now he had a five-inch long scar on his left arm as a result of the incident.

The pair finished their reports an hour later, at almost the same time. Elisa first, then Steve. They handed them in to the Captain, and were then given their next assignment. 

"You want us, to basically 'guard' a Computer Store?" Steve asked, sounding quite peeved at her decision.

"It's an undercover operation, you'll be dressed in suitable work attire, and help out the Owner who's had a rash of break-ins by unruly gang members in the recent months," she said, pausing for a moment, then she pulled up two manila folders and handed them to the officers, one each. "This operation could last from two or three days, to two or three weeks. _Or longer._ These are your new profiles, read them through thoroughly, I don't want any hiccups here people. This operation must be a success."

"Don't worry Captain..." Elisa assured, "We'll do our utmost best."

"You better do better than that," she warned. "Don't forget, you have to be there at eight-thirty on the dot tomorrow morning, the rest of today I want you to just read up on the break ins and your new profiles. Oh, and detectives, make sure you clock out early this shift to get some sleep for tomorrow."

Both detectives agreed they would.

  
*  *  *

**The ****Eyrie****Building**

Elisa arrived at the Eyrie a little after One a.m. Flashing her I.D to the Guard, she was allowed entrance to the elevator, where she then rode it up to the Castle. 

"Hi Elisa," Broadway greeted her, he was on his way down to see Xanatos. "You're here early tonight."

She nodded, stepping out of the elevator, "Yeah, we've got an undercover operation during the day, so Captain wants us to go home early, get some rest."

"You and your new partner?" he asked back.

"Yeah." She replied, the elevator doors sliding shut behind her.

The gargoyle nodded, "I saw you two, two nights back. You seem to get along well."

Elisa suddenly started to feel a little uncomfortable, "He's a good cop."

"Are you okay?" Broadway observed her sort of 'itchy' behavior, "You seem, distracted, somehow."

"Yeah, just got a lot on my mind," she replied, "Listen, not to be rude, but, I just wanted to drop in and see Goliath, I have to get home and get some sleep before the shift tomorrow."

"Oh okay," he replied, "Sorry, sometimes I don't think."

_Damn it Maza, you could have been a little politer, _"It's not you, it's me. We'll catch up again tomorrow night, after work. Promise."

Broadway's face lit up a lot, "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said, pressing the button to the right side of the elevator, the doors slid open, "Have a good sleep, won't you?"

"Will do. Enjoy your night, Broadway," Elisa replied, waving as she headed down the hall. As she heard the doors of the lift close, she let out a deep sigh of relief.  Also in frustration at herself.

It seemed to take forever before she reached the infirmary where Goliath lay still on his bed, Brooklyn across the other side of the room. Elisa walked over to see the young gargoyle first, staying a few minutes before she slowly stepped over to her lover, wrapping her arms around her body. "Goliath..." She begun, letting out a soft 'I miss you' as she stood there. One of the song's she'd heard on the radio earlier in the day, and so many times over the years, was present in her mind. 

_Another day has gone,  
I'm still all alone.  
How could this be?  
You're not here with me?  
You never said goodbye.  
Someone tell me why.  
Did you have to go?  
And leave my world so cold?_

Elisa stretched her arm out, and caressed his hand, "There's something...I have to...that I have to tell you." She looked at his face, how could she tell him? Would he hear her if she did? "I know, every night, I come here...I talk with you...I tell you about my day...and how much I wish you'd come back to me. But, Goliath..." She could feel her stomach getting heavy, "I did something...really wrong. Something, I'm so ashamed of."

The door behind her opened, Angela walked in, _Not__ now... _she needed to tell him, it was only right. 

"I can come back in a few minutes," Angela suggested.

"Could you?" Elisa asked, not meeting her eyes, "Just for a minute."

The young gargoyle nodded and walked back out.

They were alone again. "Goliath, I..." She begun after a few seconds, "I got really drunk at a bar...there was this guy...there...and we..." Placing her arms around her, she closed her eyes tight, forcing the tears that had built up to run freely down her cheeks. "Why did you leave me, Goliath?" She cried, sniffing. "It's all your fault...all of it." She wasn't angry...just hurt inside.She shook her head. She had to leave; she couldn't stay in the room any longer.

Elisa headed straight out the door, her arms around her as she headed down the hall, ignoring the call from Angela, asking if she was okay. _She wasn't._

*  *  *

**The Next Morning  
Bob's Computer World  
  
**

Elisa and Steve sat in his car out in the car park at the back of the store where the Owner had given them a parking space of their own for the duration of the op.

"Captain doesn't usually give us assignments like this," Elisa commented, "I mean sure, undercover work, but..." she said, trying to force all of the anger and guilt she felt for blaming Goliath for everything that had happened, from the attack on him and Brooklyn, to the night she spent with Steve out of her mind.

"Not like this?" Steve asked, interrupting her thoughts, a pitch of sarcasm in his voice.

She laughed, the guilt stabbing at her heart. "Exactly," she said back. "It's usually, sending us in as prospective members, but..." she paused for a moment, not wanting to repeat the same phrase, 'not like this'. "Except once..." she mumbled, recalling how she had gone undercover as a good-cop turned bad-cop to work alongside Tony Dracon, while Captain Chavez and Officer Morgan worked at one shop, a laundry shop if she could remember right. While Matt stood in at an old friend of his, groceries store. With the Gargoyles' help, the operation was a success and it sent Dracon and several of his goons to jail. Even if not for very long. "But, that was a while ago."

"Well, at least it's kind of a break."

Thinking about it, Elisa had to agree, "I guess."

The pair finally got out of the car and headed inside. Going through the back door, and locking it behind them. 

The passage leading to the main store was bare; to the left were two doors, each was locked, one led to a storage room and the other, an office. The pair walked on past into the main store. When they entered the shop they were pleasantly surprised by the store's layout. At the back where they stood was a counter, closed off from the public, except a small piece of counter that lifted upward to allow the owner and the work attendants through. Which, for a while at least, would be them. 

Just out from the counter were several shelves of computer software and peripherals. At the front of the store were display tables that hosted the likes of IBM, Macintosh and PC Computers. There was even an old Atari and an Amiga on display, not for sale of course. The shelves against the walls of the shops showed off various monitors, printers, keyboards and hard drive casings.

"Ah, you made it at last." The store's owner, Michael Pheets greeted them. He lifted two white rectangle tags up from the counter and handed one to Elisa and the other to Steve. "The captain said you..." he said to Elisa, "Would go by Marie, your middle name." 

Elisa gratefully took the tag and pinned it to her black vest that she wore overtop a white blouse, and black dress slacks. She watched as Steve took his tag, it read Gideon. "Your middle name," Mr Pheets told Steve, "There are pamphlets at each of the computers, where you can read from them whenever a customer comes in, that way you'll know what you're talking about."

"Well, seem like we'll know," Steve replied to the man, _this is gonna be a big wipe out, I just know it. _"Sorry," he apologized, turning to Mr Pheets.

Mr Pheets went to speak when the door at the end of the store opened, a woman of about fifty walked in with a lanky young man of about sixteen. "Here's your cue," he told Steve.

Attaching his tag to his white shirt, Steve straightened up his dark gray slacks and tie before walking out to the woman. "Can I be of assistance?" He asked in a friendly voice.

The woman looked at her son, who stood there wearing an orange T-shirt and black pants that looked too baggy for him and could do with pulling up. "Peter!" She growled.

"Um..." The boy said, his voice was deep, "I wanna...like...um...get a thing for my computer?"

Steve raised his eyebrows, "Right. What exactly was it you were looking for?"

"Um, just this thing."

"Like a joystick, mouse, keyboard..." he was totally computer illiterate himself, and those items were about all he could recall.

The boy looked up, his oily black hair slicked down in front of his eyes, he brushed a swab of the hair back, "Um...both?"

"Peter!" The woman elbowed the young man.

"Geez!" He winced, he looked over at Elisa and Mr Pheets, then back to Steve, "Nah, just a thing."

"Well, pal, I need to know exactly what 'thing' it is you're looking for."

"Um..." He pulled a piece of some kind of chipboard from his pants pocket. "It, kinda looks a bit like this, aye?"

Steve had no idea where to look for 'whatever it was'. He turned to Elisa and Mr Pheets and shrugged. Elisa took this as her signal to try, first of course getting permission from the owner, he nodded and told her to 'Go for it.'  She walked out to the customer, "Hi," she greeted him.

"Hi," the boy's face lit up. "I want to get another one of these." He said, showing her the chipboard.

Elisa looked at the green board with various components attached; it was broken in half. "Motherboard," she said, feeling a little pride in having known what it was. "Well, Gideon and I are new here, but I'm pretty certain Mr Pheets can help us find one for you."

"Cool, aye, Marie." The boy said, reading her nametag.

"Yeah," she smiled before turning around, "We need a motherboard." She said to Mr Pheets.

"Right this way." He motioned for them to come to the counter.

The rest of the day went much the same, in the end though, Elisa ended up being the one to greet the customers, while Steve just cleaned the shop floor, outside windows and the shelves. He was able to assist one or two, those that were looking for a great game. That he was able to help with, he'd taken six months off a few years back from the Wisconsin P.D after being shot by a thug and he spent most of his time playing computer games.

"Thank you for your help today," Mr Pheets told the duo.

"It's our job," Steve told the man with a smile, "We'll see you tomorrow, same time."

"I look forward to it." The man said back.

After they left, Steve dropped Elisa off at her apartment, and then went to the next Quarrymen meeting. Luckily for him, they had at least three a day. Each meeting covered the same aspects as the prior in that day, and it was done that way to suit the various members that were unable to appear at one meeting, but could make the next. He was met by Andrew as soon as he arrived, "Gideon, missed you at last night's meeting."

"Yeah, Elisa and I are working undercover."

"Elisa now? Before it was Maza," Andrew said, he sounded angry.

Gideon shook his head, "What the hell crawled up your ass?"

"I can't believe you're being 'friends' with that bitch. Your assignment was to cause betrayal within the clan from her. I.E, you two having a casual sexual relationship, with no lovey-dovey feelings."

"Why don't you shut your trap."

"What, did you forget Castaway's orders or something!? You know he's not going to be happy."

"Listen to me you little prick, I was being an absolute asshole to her, my plan was to move in and make her want me because she could release all points of her anger when with me, something she couldn't easily otherwise do. But no, _he _told me to be 'nicer' to her. So that's what I'm doing."

Andrew shoved Gideon backward, "_He _meant be nicer to her, and yet still have sex with her. Or are you such a dumb shit you can't figure that out?"

Angry, Gideon swung his clenched right hand out and punched Andrew in the jaw. His friend dropped to the ground, staring up at him, his lower lip bleeding. "You know something, you're not the friend I once knew. What the hell happened to you? Huh?" He didn't reply. "Tell me damn it!"

"Nothing has changed with me...you're the one that's changed. Failing your objective!" Andrew retorted.

Gideon crouched down in front of him, "Objective? What objective? There's no way of causing something more damaging than what you bastards have already done to her. First you put her gargoyle lover into a coma, then you turn her against her partner, probably about the only friend she ever had that she could trust. I'm not failing any damn objective. _Because there is none!_" He stood up, and was about to walk away when Andrew-who was now on his feet-kicked him up the backside. He swung around, furious. "Don't fuck with me dickhead!"  Gideon warned.

"Or what?"

"Just don't."

He was walking away again when Andrew called out, "You and your damn partner better watch your backs." But Gideon ignored him, and continued walking away.

***  *  *  *  *  *  * **

**Chapter Eleven  
'Unprovoked Attack'**

Three days later 

It was late in the afternoon, almost time to close the shop down. Mr Pheets had gone home early to his suddenly ill wife and left the duo in charge. There had been an attempted break-in during the early hours of the morning, but it was just a couple of kids from the street trying to find some shelter during the storm-like weather that had hit the city hard during the night. Both Elisa and Steve were glad they weren't working the night shift during that weather.

They were about ready to close up when one last customer arrived, Steve recognized him instantly.  _Andrew!_

"How can I help you?" Elisa asked the man, dressed in a long fawn overcoat and woolen hat.

"I'm looking at investing in a few computers. For a business."

"Right, well you've certainly come to the right place."

Andrew smiled at her, looking over at Steve for a split few seconds before turning his attention back to Elisa. "I certainly hope so. I just drove here from Washington DC. Couple of friends and I want to start a little side business."

"Anything in particular you were looking at purchasing?" She asked kindly, "If we don't have in stock what you're looking for, we can always sort something out with our suppliers."

"Well, we're setting up a Networked Gaming Company. We know there's so many out there already, but we just want to see if we can get in on it ourselves."

"Fair enough." Elisa replied, taking him over to the table nearest the counter. "Five-hundred and twelve megs of Memory, a thousand-gigabyte hard drive..."

"I tell you what, you set me up with the highest computer you can get, and I'll buy ten of them," Andrew told her, "We want our computers to have the highest specs."

"Right, well we'll just get the paperwork set up, then put the order through. Should take about three, is that okay?"

"Perfectly fine," he said, "Listen, I've got a meeting with a few of our sponsors, can I come in tomorrow and fill out the details with you then?"

She nodded, "Sure, that's fine."

"I'll leave my card," he said, handing Elisa a small white business card with 'Darian Philips' imprinted on it. "Put the order through, and the paperwork, and like I said, I'll come in tomorrow and fill out the rest of the details with you."

"That's fine Mr Philips."

Andrew smiled at her, tapping the pile of his business cards in her direction, "You should come work for us in DC. We have a huge computer retail outlet. We could have the perfect position open for you within a matter of days, if you're ever interested."

"Thanks, but I'm fine."

He was heading out the door when she'd replied; he turned around to face her, "Well, if you ever change your mind...you have my card," he said before finally leaving.

Steve rushed over to the door, checking to see if Andrew gone before locking the door and turning the small sign hanging in the window to 'Closed'. "You okay?" he heard Elisa ask.

He turned around, "Yeah, fine. Just, in a hurry to get home." He lied.

"Well, why don't you go, I'll lock up," she offered.

He shook his head with a smile, "It's okay. I can wait a few more minutes." Another lie, but it was to cover his first one, well, sort of.

"I have to put these papers through Elbers, just go home. I'll lock up."

A moments silence, "I'll lock up the front outside first, though, then I'll go."

"Okay," she agreed.

The next five minutes had Steve constantly on the look out, hoping his 'friend' Andrew wasn't going to reappear. He didn't even understand how the hell he knew where they were doing undercover work, he hadn't told anyone. Least of all _him_. He said goodbye to Elisa after locking up the front slider doors to protect the shop from break-ins, and then headed home. Feeling kinda bad because it meant Elisa would have to walk back to her apartment that was some five blocks away. Of course, the thought that she might just take a Cab didn't enter his mind until he reached his own apartment.

Back at the store, Elisa had just finished putting through the order via Fax and processing some forms for Mr Philips to fill in the next day, when she heard a large smashing noise out the back. Pulling her small gun out of the holster against the ankle of her left leg, she made her way out to the back of the store. A part of her wanted to shout out, 'Who's there!' But if there was someone there, that would give them a chance to get ready for an attack, whoever they were. She stopped short of the door, took in a breath to calm herself, and be ready for what could be next.

The noise had come from the Storage room, where she figured was where they must still have been. She realized at that moment, that either she or Steve must have forgotten to lock it earlier. 

Elisa readied the gun in her hand, and stepped sideways to get a partial view at first, then full view of the room. She couldn't see anyone. Edging her way into the small room with caution, still seeing nothing in the room, she twisted her body around in such a way as to check to her right when she was tackled from that same direction. She fell to the ground, bumping her head against one of the many boxes cluttering the small room. Her gun went flying way out of her reach. The attacker turned her over so she was on her back looking up at him. Only she wasn't about to let him do whatever it was he might try, so she kicked and squirmed until she was out of his grasp. She was at her feet for only a few moments and a couple of feet out into the hallway when he tackled her again, ramming her up against the far wall. 

"Bitch!" The man hissed, thumping her against the wall yet again, holding her hands tightly behind her back much the same way as the Quarryman that had attacked her a couple of weeks back. "This time, I'm not gonna leave," It **_was_** the same man. His voice was familiar, but not only from that night, from sometime sooner than then. He shoved her again; she winced as a sharp raw feeling went splintering across her forehead. She could feel the war, sticky blood streaming down the side of her nose and head.

"Let me go!" She begged.

"What, no challenge like last time? You really are a sad bitch, you do know that!" His grip on her arms tightening as he pressed his body against hers so she wouldn't move. "I'm gonna do what I should have done when I last had the chance!"

Elisa tried to break from his grasp, but he was just too strong for her, and she felt so weak from the blows she'd taken to the head. She kept squirming to break free when he pulled her away from the wall, and then shoved her back against it. Her wind was knocked out of her, but she still tried to struggle against his power.

He held her firmly with one arm, while he unzipped his pants, he grabbed her tight, tripping her with one of his feet, causing her to fall face down on the ground. She screamed out for him to let her go, pulling with all the strength she had in her arms to break free. He was grabbing at her waist, attempting to turn her over when suddenly footsteps were heard to her right, there was a loud crack, and the man was off her.

She was free.

Elisa scrambled over to the main rear entrance, turning around, blooding trickling down her face as fear encompassed her. Watching as Steve, who had rescued her, begun repeatedly kicking the Quarryman, whom she now recognized as Darian Philips. In any usual circumstances, with Steve using such force, she would have begged him to stop, but she sat there, frozen in fear.  She watched as each lethal blow was done to the Quarryman's stomach, back, groin and head.

Steve kicked him in the face, but Andrew just laughed as he was being dealt blow after blow. "Shut the fuck up!" Steve ordered.  Andrew only laughed harder. 

Steve was down on top of his 'friend', gripping his collar in his fist, as he used his other hand to punch the other man in the face repeatedly. Blood splattered all over the wall with each blow, Andrew's nose was broken, his lips cut, and eye knocked out of alignment, then, Steve drew back. He let go of the man's collar, shoving his head backward against the ground, hard.

Andrew's breathing was fast and erratic, like he was an over excited child getting ready to open his birthday present while he laughed. 

"You son of a bitch," Steve said, catching his own breath.

"I had to make her see." Andrew laughed, "Gargoyles are evil! The spawn of the devil!" He coughed up blood, almost choking on it before it cleared a little, "The quarrymen..." He chuckled again, "They'll get her...they'll get all the traitors." He started coughing again, his breathing becoming deeper, slower, and his chest emitting an uneven rasping noise.

Steve climbed to his feet, going over to Elisa, "We have to get you out of here." He told her. She didn't look up at him. She held her knees up against her chest as she stared at the dying man.  "Now, Elisa," he repeated, voice firm, commanding.

***  *  *  *  *  *  ***

**Chapter Twelve  
'Need'  
  
**

**Angel of Mercy  
Not long afterward**

Steve took Elisa straight to the hospital from the Store. Neither spoke on the way there. She was admitted and treated within the hour, being a Police Officer guaranteed, in this day, quick treatment. But in her mind, she was begging them to just let her die.  She didn't want to live, not after what had happened, and not just today, but everything in last few months.

She lay in the bed of her single room, half sitting, Steve there with her, when two uniformed officers came in.  The female of the two stood beside her partner, a sad look on her expression filled face, while her male partner stared back at Elisa as if wondering how something like this could have happened to a cop.

"Ms Maza, my name's Officer Yokas...Faith Yokas.  This is my partner, Officer Boscorelli," Officer Yokas began, motioning to her partner.  "We'd like to ask you some questions, if that's all right with you?"

Elisa nodded, at her side, Steve gently squeezed her hand.

"Can you tell us what happened to you?"

She swallowed, looking down at her and Steve's joined hands.  "I...I was closing up...when I heard this...crash.  I went...out back, and had just walked into the storage...room...when this guy...he jumped me...I fell to the ground...I struggled with him, and got free..." she closed her eyes, pain jolting through her in vivid recollection when the bastard had slammed her against the wall.  "But, he went after me...slammed me against the wall...we...struggled more...when he held me there, while he..." she swallowed, pausing.

"While he what?" Officer Yokas asked, looking over at her partner, then back to Elisa.

Elisa's expression changed, and she let out a sob, tears flowing effortlessly down her face.  She could feel Steve's arm go around her back as he sat up on the bed beside her.  After a moment, her head was resting against his strong chest and she looked up at the officers.  "While he said...said 'I'm gonna do what I should have done when I last had the chance'..." Even saying the same words, she cringed, another sob escaped and Steve held her tighter in his arms.

Both Officer Yokas and Boscorelli looked at each other.  "He tried to attack you before?" Officer Boscorelli asked.

She shook her head.  "No...yes...not like...not like this...I..." she painfully looked up at the officers.

"When did this happen?"  Officer Yokas gently asked, glaring sideways at her partner as he shook his head at Elisa's response.

Elisa stared at them, more tears flooding her eyes, blurring her vision.  "Almost...about a month ago...he was trying to stop me...from reaching...reaching a friend of mine, who was in danger..." she told the other woman, when she felt her voice freeze in her throat, her eyes closed and she could remember every moment of that first attack.  

_"At least I'm not deserting the idealism of the human race and fucking a gargoyle!"_

_Elisa went to take another swing at him when he grabbed her hand and twisted her arm behind her back in such a hold that she couldn't break free.  He put his other arm around her neck. _

_"Even if I were, or weren't, I'd rather fuck a gargoyle if humans like you were my only other option!"  Elisa replied. "Now let me go!"_

_"Or what?__  Your 'boyfriend' will come and beat the shit out of me?"  He laughed.  "Vous devez tourner rapidement de vos chemins avant que vous ruinez tout ce qui l'humanité représente! And in case you didn't get that, you must turn quickly from your ways before you ruin all that which humanity represents!"_

She blinked, and she could see both officers looking at her.  She let out a breath, and shook her head.  "He didn't...didn't try to...to...not that night."

Officer Yokas nodded, writing down a few things in her notepad.  She tilted her head to the right a little, before continuing.  "So after he said he should have done what he should have when he last had the chance...what happened next?"

Elisa swallowed, gripping onto Steve's sleeve.  "He...pulled me away from the wall...then shoved me hard against it again...my wind, it was knocked out of me...he was holding me...holding me so tightly...I heard...heard his zip...then he tripped...me...I fell to the ground...he kept...kept trying to turn me over, but...but I wouldn't let him...that's when..." she stopped, looking up at Steve.

Officer Yokas looked sideways at her partner.  "That's when what happened, Ms Maza?"  The officer asked, looking back over at her.

Steve held Elisa in his arms, gently rubbing her back.  "That's when, this guy...he knocked the her attacker off her, started beating him."

"Really?"  Officer Boscorelli asked, looking at Yokas.  He shook his head in disbelief, turning back to Steve and Elisa.  He saw the looks on both officers faces, then turned back to his own partner once more.  "That's what happened," he stated, knowing what was said was a lie, but the bastard who had attacked Elisa was dead, and chances of him telling anyone what really happened was never going to happen.

"I think we're done here, then..." Officer Yokas said, closing her notepad.  "The detectives from our precinct will be in touch," she said, smiling faintly, before she and Boscorelli left the room.

The door closed, and Elisa let out a breath, partially pulling away from Steve as she looked up at him.  "Why..." was all she could breathe out.

"He's dead." Steve told her.  "They don't know who did it...and what he tried to do was rape," he said, pausing for a moment.  "I didn't...I didn't mean to kill him...God knows I wanted to, but...I didn't mean to..."

"You should have told those officers that," she replied, looking at his eyes.

He shook his head.  "I would have been sent straight to jail, no passing go...just jail.  Jail for killing a Quarryman, and a sick fuck who tried to rape you, Elisa."

Elisa lay her head back down on his chest, letting out a breath.  "I thought you'd gone home?" she asked after a few silent seconds, her voice croaky as she finally got the words out.

"I had this strange feeling in my gut that something was wrong."

"You saved my life," she told him.

Steve released his hand from hers, and gently caressed her cheek, wiping away fresh tears. "Yeah." He replied.

She pulled away again, placing her hand on the side of his face.  "You need a shave," she teased him, her voice soft.

He laughed, "Like your men clean shaven, huh?" He asked, brushing back loose strands of hair that had fallen down the side of her face.

She looked into his eyes, electric blue, and so deep.  "Not always," was her reply, there was a strange feeling inside her that she couldn't really get her head around. Like a drive, that made her want him to kiss her. Elisa dismissed the thoughts as something other than feelings, she realized; she had grown to hold for him. She pulled her eyes away from his in pain, how could she let herself have feelings for him? When her heart belonged to Goliath, and Goliath alone. It had taken Jason to make her see that, she didn't want to go through all of _that _again.

Steve looked down at her, "Elisa..." He began, combing his fingers through her hair, then framing her face in his hands. Never losing eye contact, he leaned closer until his lips captured hers. The embrace was firm and sweet. 

She had forgotten what it felt like to kiss a man.

She wanted to push him away, tell him they couldn't, but her arms felt so weak that she just let him hold her in his arms, consume her in ways she would never allow any other man to do.

The door to her room opened, automatically their lips parted. Elisa looked up to see Captain Chavez standing there. 

The captain didn't apologize for interrupting, just walked in, and over to Elisa's bed, Steve drew back and into the chair, shifting uncomfortably. "Morgan's here with the family of a victim who was assaulted downtown, he spotted you being wheeled out of a cubical, into this room." She turned to Steve, "A man was found beaten to death at the Store where the pair of you were under cover, care to let me know what went down?" Her anger was aimed at them both.

He swallowed, looking to Elisa, her eyes pleaded with him not to tell the captain what had happened. Steve turned to the captain, "He went after Elisa...someone..." He cleared his throat, "Took off, after him, beat him."

She looked at his fists, bruised and red, "You?" She implied.

Steve shook his head, "No captain." It was a lie, "I came back, thinking something was wrong, this guy was there beating the bastard that tried to attack her. I got out of there quick, with Elisa, and headed straight to the hospital."

"I expect a full report of the incident." Captain Chavez said to Steve, she turned her attention to Elisa, "I called your parents, they're on their way. Why on earth didn't you call them? Or get Elbers to?"

Elisa shifted her eyes from the Captain for a moment, angered thoughts of distrust for her superior officer jumping into her mind. 

"Maza!" she hollered.

Elisa flinched at her tone and wrapped her arms around herself.

"It might be best if you leave." She heard Steve's voice, a silent moment, and then fading footsteps as the captain left the room. She felt his gentle touch as he placed his hand on her arm, "Elisa, are you okay?"

She bit her lower lip, she wasn't going to cry. She had to be strong. "I'm fine." She said, her voice scratchy.

"I should leave too." Steve said after a silent moment.

"No," Elisa softly replied.  "Please, I-I don't want to be alone."

He smiled, taking her hand and squeezing it gently, "I'll stay, until you get to sleep." 

She thanked him with a soft voice, closing her eyes as she tried to push back all the bad memories, all the anger. 

Steve just watched her, holding her hand in his.  Inside his chest was a circus of confusion, from his best friend Dougall, to Elisa...to what the son of a bitch had tried to do.  He closed his eyes, cursing in his mind.  As they slowly opened, he could see Elisa let out a low breath and her hand in his relaxed and he knew she'd fallen asleep.  _I'll stay forever, if you only want me to... _he quietly said to her in his mind, 

***  *  *  *  *  *  * **

**Chapter Thirteen  
'Closer'  
  
**

**Elisa's Parents' home  
Four days later**

It had been four days since Elisa was attacked, she was released into her parents care, at the order of Captain Chavez. It wasn't safe for the detective to go back to her own apartment; that was the argument. Then why, she didn't understand, was she unable to stay at a motel, or up at the castle with the Gargoyles? Too many links, that was another part of the argument. The Quarrymen would be able to find her, attack her again. _Like she cared._

Her heart felt so heavy, and that was only the beginning of the way she was feeling. Her life seemed less and less every day of the dream she had envisioned herself living. Goliath was in a coma, she had been attacked and almost raped by a quarryman, and her partner had betrayed her and those they were living their lives to protect.

Elisa was lying in bed, fast asleep, as were her parents and sister, Beth, who was also staying with them during a two week break from college. But, her sleep was broken from a knock on the front door of her parents' home. Wearily, she climbed out of bed and headed out to the hall and opened the door. "Steve...wh-what are you doing here?"  Elisa asked, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.

Steve eyed her carefully, from her bare feet up to the long-sleeved shirt she was wearing as a night gown that revealed much of the contour of her breasts, and hips. He swallowed, his eyes meeting hers. He was thinking how he should just say sorry for bothering her, and leave. Discomfort was lodging itself in his throat.

"I went by your apartment," Steve begun, his voice unsure. "You weren't there, so I asked the captain...I hope you don't mind, I had to come see you, check to, see if you were okay."

"I..." She yawned again, "I don't mind."

He chuckled, stepping over to Elisa, "You look tired."

"I haven't slept much," she replied, lowering her voice, "I just, keep thinking about what happened."

"I know." Steve said softly, soothingly, "Me too. I keep thinking, I shouldn't have done what I did. Was there another way it could have all happened." There was a pause of silence, then slowly, he let out a breath and begun again, "And then...I kissed you, and..." He shook his head.

"Steve..." She said, stopping them both.

"I shouldn't have kissed you, not after everything that happened."

Elisa looked up at him, meeting his eyes with more awareness than before, "I'm glad you did." 

"You are?" He asked, sounding surprised.

She was glad, in more ways than she could really tell him. "I needed someone there, to hold me...and you were." _When no one else was._ "And I..." Elisa paused, holding her breath as he stepped ever closer to her, she wanted him to hold her again, take her in his arms and kiss her. She needed to be held again. And she felt so safe in his embrace, so comforted, so...loved.  In truth, she didn't know what the feelings were she had inside for him; they weren't love, _were they?_

As he moved closer still, she tensed up, but as he brought his lips to hers, capturing them in his firm, sweet lips, she found herself relaxing. He took her in his arms, pulling her body against his.  She found herself folding her arms around his neck, this time no thoughts of hoping it would stop, that something would draw them apart. She wanted him to devour her with his touch, his caresses, his passion. She wanted to forget the anguish she felt in her heart and mind.

He held her body strong in his arms, kissing her in ways she'd almost forgotten she could be.

She broke away, gasping for breath, "We can't do this." She said, catching her breath.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have...I know."

"Stop apologizing." Elisa growled him, sighing with disappointment in herself for her angered response. "Steve, I..."

Steve shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his pants, "You want me to go?" He asked, slowly, she nodded. "Okay."

He had just begun turning to leave, when Elisa grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him against her, pressing her lips to his.  "Stay, please..." She asked him, resting her head against his after their lips parted once more.

_Loving you madly, will be forever  
I see the ocean in your eyes  
When we're together  
  
_

Steve took Elisa by her arms, pulling away and looking down at her, "Are you sure that's what you want?"

_There are no boundaries  
There are no limits  
My heart has been embraced  
Now that you're in it_

She nodded, he moved closer to her again, slower this time. Taking her face in his hands, he gently caressed her cheek as he moved his face closer to hers, taking her lips in gentle caresses as he begun to unbutton the night shirt that she wore. He was at bare skin, and moved his hand across her stomach, around to hip, "Steve..." She whispered as he broke the lock of their lips, and placed kisses at the base of her neck as he started to search her body with his hands. 

_Hold me, closer to your dreams  
Closer to your fears  
Close to hear your laughter  
  
_

Elisa closed her eyes, each kiss, every stroke of his hand against her skin reassuring her that it's what she wanted, what she needed.....

_Hold me, when you're close to tears_

Continued in 'Intermission', the second instalment of this Trilogy.  All feedback/comments/flames appreciated.


End file.
